Hinges



March 3l, 1970 F. J. vAsAruRo 3,503,380

HINGES Filed June 6, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 RH M OU a TT 5 ma s v ,m MV 0 I I K f. N A a d w i f H mw 1% r m n 4f i 5 fw a r` f L Z 5 4 Ma'rch 3l, 1970 F. J. vAsATuRo HINGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1968 United States Patent O 3,503,380 HINGES Frank J. Vasaturo, Holmes, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to United Filtration Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 6, 1968, Ser. No. 735,120 Int. Cl. F24c 15/02 U.S. Cl. 126-191 6 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A hinge for mounting a door, gate, lid, or the like on a piece of equipment or structure comprising a fixed frame for securing the door and pivotally connected to the frame for rotation in a vertical direction and a cam spring arrangement contained wholly within the` hinge to counterbalance the door during the rotation.

This invention relates to a device for use in applications where one member moves relative to another and particularly to a device which will exert a force on the movable member in a manner to counterbalance the member and/or make the member move in a desired direction.

The invention is especially adaptable in connection with closure doors swung or rotated between open and closed positions for use in exerting a force to counterbalance the weight of the door during rotation and for use in exerting a force to move the door into an open, closed or partially open position.

The invention will be described in connection With a counterbalancing hinge for an oven door. However, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the structure is readily adaptable and suitable for use in other applications.

One object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure permitting rotation of one member relative to another in a vertical direction and having means to counterbalance the weight of the moving member, the counterbalancing means being self-contained within the hinge structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure permitting one member to rotate in a vertical direction with respect to another member, the weight of the rotating member being counterbalanced by the coaction between a contoured surface on the rotating member cooperating with spring means on the xed member in a manner to permit the spring to develop a counterbalance force as a function of the angular position of the moving member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure having a minimum number of parts arranged in a compact, self-contained, unitary structure which can be mounted with a minimum amount of installation time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge especially suitable for cook oven doors, the hinge having self-contained structure to provide for removal of the door and self-contained structure to provide counterbalancing of the door as between its open and closed positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure especially suitable for oven doors which has self-contained door removal and door counterbalancing means and which can be attached to the oven with a pair of screws.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure especially suitable for oven doors, the structure providing a door counterbalancing mechanism needing only a minimum of operating space and therefore requir- 3,503,380 Patented Mar. 31, 1970 lCC ing a minimum void in the oven insulation to accommodate the counterbalancing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hinge structure especially suitable for use on oven doors which is of compact unitary design and arranged so that identical hinges can be used on both the leftand right-hand sides of the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for use with members movable relative to one another and having means to exert a force on the moving member to cause the same to move to an open or closed or intermediate position.

With the above in mind the invention will be described below in connection with the following drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a front view of a typical cook oven having a closure door equipped with hinge devices constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view looking toward the left in FIGURE 1 with the door partially open or intermediate position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1 with the door in the position of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the hinge device on the left side of the oven door of FIGURE 1, the door and the oven being shown in dot and dash lines;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 with the door in closed position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 5, but with the door in fully open position;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan section taken on the line 7--7 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan section of line 8-8 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary detail of the left-hand end of FIGURE 6.

In FIGURE 1 a typical cook oven has a hollow body 1 having an opening indicated by the dotted line 2. Access to the interior is provided by the door 3. The door pivoted at the bottom so that it can be tilted or rotated in a vertical direction as between the closed position shown and a substantially horizontal or open position. In accordance with the customary arrangement, the door can be maintained in a partially open or intermediate position as indicated in FIGURE 2 which is sometimes the position of the door for broiling. In the intermediate position the door can be removed as by pulling outwardly as indicated by the dotted lines 3a.

The motion of the door as between the open, closed and intermediate positions is provided by the hinge structure constructed in accordance with the invention. In FIG- URES 1 and 2 the hinge structures are indicated by the dotted lines 4.

The oven and the door are of the conventional form. The door has a front panel 5 and a rear panel 6. The rear panel 6 is contoured to form the annular seal 6a which extends around the opening 2. The oven has an outisde wall 7 and an inside wall 8 which are joined by the casing 9 extending around the opening 2. The cavity or space between the walls 7 and 8 is usually lled with insulation (not shown).

With reference to FIGURES 3, 5 and 6, the hinge structure includes a channel-shaped frame 10 mounting the counterbalancing compression spring 11, a carrier arm 12 supporting the door 2 cam arm 13 xed to the carrier arm and cooperating with the spring 11, a pivot mechanism 14 fixed to the frame and rotatably connecting the arms with the trame and a door release mechanism 15 on the arm 12.

The arms and door are supported as a unit on the pivot mechanism 14 which provides for motion as between the open, itnermediate and closed positions. In FIGURE 5 the components are in the oven closed position where the seal 6a abuts the casing 9. When the arms and door are rotated counterclockwise about 20 to the position as indicated in FIGURE 3, the components are in the intermediate position. Further rotation in a counterclockwise direction puts the components in the oven open position as shown in FIGURE 6` where the door 3 extends horizontally.

As the door is rotated as between the open position of FIGURE 6 and the intermediate position of FIGURE 3, the door release mechanism 15 operates so that the door cannot be removed from the carrier arm. However, in the intermediate position the release automatically operates to permit removal of the door.

The door 2 is supported on the carrier arm 12 by means of a socket 16 which is rigidly fixed to the door and makes a snug, but sliding fit with the arm. As best seen in FIGURE 6 the socket 16 has a slot 17 to accommodate the head 18 of the release mechanism 15 and for a slot 19 through which extends the arm 12. The head 18 engages the end 17a of the slot 17 to prevent removal of the door and a shoulder 3b on the door engages the end 19a of the slot 19 to limit downward movement of the door when the same is not in a horizontal position.

With particular reference to FIGURES 4 and 9 it will be noted that the bottom a of the channel-shaped frame 10 has an elongated slot 10b. The slot is wide on the bottom and narrow at the top and accommodates motion of the cam arm 13.

The frame 10, spring 11, arms 12 and 13, the pivot and release mechanisms 14 and 15 comprise a fully assembled unitary hinge structure which is of especial significance as noted below.

With reference to FIGURES 7 and 8, it will be seen that the hinge is relatively narrow and is of generally symmetrical construction. The side 10c of the frame 10 abuts the oven inner wall 8 and the cam arm 13 runs parallel to and is slightly spaced from the inner wall. The carrier arm 12 extends out into the oven door 2 as indicated. The same hinge on the opposite side of the oven is set up in the same manner, i.e., the side 10d abuts the oven inner wall, the arm 13 runs parallel the inner wall and the arm 12 projects into the door. It will be apparent that the same identical hinge can be used on both the leftand right-hand sides of the oven.

The fully assembled, symmetrical construction referred to above has several important advantages. One advantage is that there is a substantial inventory reduction on the part of the oven manufacturer because there is no need to carry leftand right-hand hinges. Only a single type hinge need be stocked. Furthermore, there is no necessity of carrying a large number of disassembled hinge parts. The reduction in inventory requirements provides for substantial savings in material an'd in storage space costs.

Another important feature arising out of the self-contained design is that the time for installing the hinge in an oven is held to an absolute mini-mum. The hinge is supplied to the oven manufacturer as a complete, selfcontained unit which is fully assembled and ready for installation. The necessity of the manufacturer installing various individual components is entirely eliminated.

For installation purposes the hinge is brought up to the oven, put into place and then attached with a pair of screws or other means of fastening. The installation procedure is easily and quickly accomplished. The manner in which this is done is explained below.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the casing 9 has a vertically extending slot 9a which is wide at the bottom and narrow at the top and is in registry with the frame slot 10b. The bottom part is of sufficient width and length so that the hinge frame can be passed clear through.

For installation purposes, the hinge assembly is brought up to the casing slot 9a and the top end of the frame is inserted through the slot and then moved up behind the casing until such time as the bottom of the frame clears the bottom of the slot. The frame is then adjusted vertically so that the threaded holes in the frame are in alignment with apertures in the casing whereby the top and bottom screws 22 and 23 can be threaded in to lock the frame tight against the casing.

Not only is the hinge easy to install, but it is also easy to remove for repair or replacement purposes. To repair or replace the hinge structure, the door is first removed and then the screws 22 and 23 are taken out and the hinge simply pulled out through the casing slot in a direction reverse from which it was inserted.

The hinge structure of the invention provides for counterbalancing of the door during rotation as between the open and intermediate positions and the development of the counterbalancing force is an important feature of the invention.

The amount of force necessary to counterbalance the door varies with the angular position of the door and the counterbalancing mechanism of the hinge developes such a varying force. The counterbalancing approaches an ideal condition and not merely an approximation. This has several advantages. For example, the door becomes essentially weightless and therefore it is easy and convenient for the housewife to move. In addition, the door will not suddenly accelerate as it is moved upwards nor require a greater apparent force as it is moved to the open position. In addition, the door can be stopped in any position between the open and intermediate position which is advantageous to the housewife for certain cooking conditions.

The counterbalancing mechanism of the hinge is selfcontained wholly within the hinge structure and is independent of the oven. The self-contained, counterbalancing feature is especially useful in minimizing inventory and reducing installation time.

The structure of the counterbalancing mechanism to attain the above mentioned advantages will be explained following.

The top of compression spring 11 is held in the frame 10 by an L-shaped spring retainer 24. The horizontal leg of the retainer fits into a slot in the frame and the vertical leg of the retainer engages an abutment on the frame. The slot, the abutment and the sides of the frame will hold the retainer in position. However, in the embodiment shown, the retainer is also secured by the screw 22. The lower end of the spring is held by a bracket 25 slidably mounted within the frame. Motion of the bracket 25 back and forth along the fame will cause expansion and contraction of the spring. The bracket 25 supports a grooved roller 26 which is in engagement with a cam surface 27 on the cam arm 13. The spring 11 pushes down on the bracket 25 so that the roller 26 is in firm engagement with the cam surface 27. It will be apparent that-as the cam arm 13 is rotated the roller 26 rides over the surface 27.

The cam surface 27 is configured with detents to dene the closed, open and intermediate positions of the door. It is also configured with a portion specifically contoured to cause expansion of the spring in a controlled manner for the counterbalancing` function. This is exf plained following.

When the door is in the closed position (FIGURE 5), the roller 26 engages the detent 30I on the cam surface 27. The force generated by the spring 1'1 tends to rotate the cam arm (hence, the carrier arm and door) in a clockwise manner so that the seal 6a is tight up against the casing 9.

When the door is rotated counterclockwise to the intermediate position (FIGURE 3), the detent 31 receives the roller 25 and the force of the roller acting on the sides of the detent tends to maintain the arms and door in the intermediate position.

When the door is in the fully opened position (FIG- URE 6) the detent surface 32 is engaged by the roller. The open position of the door is defined by the engagement of an abutment 33 on the cam arm engaging the bottom 10a of the frame. The engagement is shown particularly in FIGURE 9. The detent surface 32 is oriented so that the force developed by the spring tends to rotate the cam arm and door in a counterclockwise direction with the abutment 33 tight up against the frame. The door is held positively in the open position and is prevented from being inadvertently moved upwardly.

As will be apparent from the inspection of FIGURES 6 and 3, the weight of the door tends to rotate the carrier and cam arms in a counterclockwise direction while the force of the spring (acting through the roller on the cam surface 27) tends to rotate the arms and the door in the clockwise direction.

As the door is rotated, the weight of the door remains constant, but the lever arm changes. The changing lever arm of the door however is equal to the cosine of the angle of the door times a constant, i.e., the distance between the pivot and the location of the resultant weight of the door. On the other side of the pivot, the lever arm of the spring force remains constant.

Thus, on the left Side of the pivot the variable is the changing angle of the door and on the right side of the Variable is the spring force. To provide balance therefore, the force developed by the spring has made a function of the angular position of the door or carrier arm with respect to the frame. This is done by designing the curved section 28 of the cam surface 27 as a trigonometric function of the angle of the door. This permits the spring to expand in a manner so that its force is proportional to the angular position of the door.

Before going on, it is pointed out that the force of the spring may be adapted to meet the requirements of a particular application by the choice of spring material, choice of length, compounding and the like.

The above described mechanism attains substantially true counterbalancing and thereby provides the various advantages heretofore mentioned. Furthermore, the counterbalancing mechanism is wholly confined within the hinge structure and is independent of any mechanical connection with the oven body. The latter feature is important because it eliminates the necessity of voids in the insulation which would otherwise be necessary to accommodate such connections.

Another feature of the counterbalancing mechanism is that only a very minimum amount of operating space is required within the insulation area of the oven body. This is brought about by two factors. First, the cam arm is relatively thin, and second, in the closed position, the cam arm extends behind the casing into the insulation area a minimum amount. For example, in FIGURE 5 (which is a full scale view of a typical hinge), the projection of the cam arm into the space or cavity which is only 21/2. This projection and the thinness of the arm require a minimum void in the insulation.

The manner in which the release mechanism is mounted on the carrier arm and the manner in which it operates either to maintain the door on the arm or to permit removal of the door will be explained following.

With reference to FIGURES 5 and 6 it will be seen that a lever 34 carrying the head 18 is mounted on the arm 12 as by a pivot 35 which permits the lever to rotate. The lever is held on the arm by the lanced sections 36 and 37. The head 18 of the lever has a follower surface 40 which is shown in engagement with the guide surface 41 on the pivot bracket 42 of the pivot mechanism 14. The guide surface is eccentric with respect to axis of rotation of the arms 12 and 13. A spring 43 on the arm 12 urges the lever in a counter-clockwise direction to cause engagement between the follower and guide surfaces.

With reference to FIGURE 6 it will be seen that in the open position of the door, the eccentricity of the guide surface 41 causes the follower head 18 to project into the slot 17 and engage the end 17a. Thus, the door cannot be pulled olf the carrier arm. As the door moves between the open position to the intermediate position (FIGURE 3), the eccentricity of the guide surface 41 allows the follower head 18 to gradually become disengaged with the end 17a of the slot as shown in FIGURE 3. With disengagement the door can be raised upwardly and removed from the carrier arm.

If it is desired to provide an oven wherein the door is not removable, the hinge of the invention has a ready means for conversion as seen in FIGURES 6 and l0. The outer end of the cam arm is slotted at 44 with the mount of the slot being adjacent the inner wall 6. By providing an aperture in the wall 6 a retaining screw such as the screw 53 shown in FIGURE 10 can be inserted. The screw is of the self-tapping type so that it firmly engages in the slot 45.

Before closing, it is pointed out that the pivot bracket 42 like the L-shaped spring retainer 24 is self-supporting in the frame 10 as explained following. In the vertical direction (FIGURE 5), the bracket is retained by the section 46 engaging the shoulders 47 and 48 on the frame side 10c. In the horizontal direction (top and bottom as viewed in FIGURE 8), the bracket is retained by the section 49 engaging the frame walls 10c and 10d. In the other horizontal direction left to right as Viewed in FIG- URE 8, the bracket is retained by the section 49 engaging the bottom 10a of the frame and the lower part of section 49 engaging the lip 50 on the frame side 10c.

In many instances the rotatable member with which the device is used is relatively heavy so that a substantial counterbalancing force must be developed. This can be taken care of, for example, by compounding, by choice of spring material and the like. For reasons of economy, however, it is desirable to use and additional independent spring to develop the needed force. In this regard the invention contemplates forming the cam arm 13 with the slot having a curved section similar to the surface or curved section 28. Within the slot is a roller operating on the curved section and supported by a yoke extending downwardly thru the frame and connected to one end of a tension spring, the other end of the spring being connected to the body of the apparatus with which the device is used. The tension spring and the lower cam surface are coordinated to develop a force which is a function of the angular position of the door. This force is in phase with and augments the force exerted by the compression spring 10 and the surface 28.

In the foregoing I have described the device as developing wholly a counterbalancing force. It will be appreciated, however, that there are many instances where it is desirable or necessary to bias the door towards the closure position. In such instances the force developed is made a magnitude greater than that needed for counterbalancing so that it will cause the door to move or swing toward the closed position.

Aside from using the device as a counterbalancing and closure means as described above, the device is useful in those instances where a closing (or opening) force is needed without any counterbalancing whatsoever. For example, the device can be horizontally oriented and connected to a door which swings about the vertical axis on its own hinges. The force developed by the spring (being unopposed by the weight of the door) will cause the door to be biased toward the closed position.

I claim:

1. A hinge structure providing for one member to rotate relative to another in a vertical direction with the weight of the rotating member being counterbalanced, the structure comprising;

"a rotatable carrier arm having means for supporting a member to be rotated relative to the frame;

a cam arm xedly connected to said carrier'arm and rotatable therewith;

pivot means connecting the frame and said arms and providing for the arms to rotate relative to the frame in a vertical direction while the frame is in said position, the weight of a. member mounted on the carrier arm tending to cause the member and arms to rotate about the pivot in one direction;

means on said cam arm forming a cam surface;

a spring; and

means connecting one end of the spring with said frame and means connecting the other end of the spring with said cam surface, the spring exerting a force on said cam surface in the direction tending to rotate said carrier arm and a member thereon about the pivot in a direction opposite to rst said direction, said spring and said cam surface causing said force to be developed as a function of the angular position of the carrier arm with respect to said frame whereby the weight of the member mounted on the carrier arm is counterbalanced.

2. A hinge structure providing for one member to rotate relative to another in a vertical direction with the weight of the rotating member being counterbalanced, the structure comprising;

a frame adapted to be mounted in a xed position;

a rotatable carrier arm having means for supporting a member to be rotated relative to the frame;

a cam arm xedly connected to said carrier arm and rotatable therewith;

pivot means connecting the frame and said arms and providing for the arms to rotate relative to the frame in a vertical direction while the frame is in said position, the weight of a member mounted on the carrier arm tending to cause the member and arms to rotate about the pivot in one direction;

means on said cam arm forming a cam surface;

a compression spring;

means on said frame supporting the spring for expansion and contraction on the frame including a bracket slidably mounted on the frame in contact with one end of the spring; and

a roller mounted on said bracket in engagement with said cam surface, the spring exerting a force on the cam surface in a direction tending to rotate said arms and a member on the carrier arm about the pivot in a direction opposite to rst said direction of rotation, said spring and said cam surface causing said force to be developed as a function of the Vangular position of the carrier arm with respect to said frame whereby the weight of the member mounted on the carrier arm is counterbalanced.

3. In combination:

a hollow body having a door providing access to the interior of the body;

a casing on the body defining at least in part the door access opening;

means forming an aperture in said casing;

an elongated, narrow frame mounted on said casing and extending across said aperture;

a rotatable carrier arm supporting said door; and

pivot means connecting the frame and arm as a unitary structure and providing for the arm and door mounted thereon to rotate relative to the frame,- in a vertical direction as between open and closed positions;

said frame and said aperture being configured to provide for the frame to be movable therethrough for purposes of bringing the frame into position for connecting to the casing and also providing for the frame to be movable therethrough, after being disconnected from the casing, for repair or replacement purposes.

4. In combination:

a hollow body having a door providing access to the interior of the body;

a frame and means mounting the frame on the body;

a rotatable carrier arm supporting said door;

pivot means connecting said arm and said frame and providing for the arm to rotate the door in a vertical direction as between open and closed positions;

a means forming a guide surface on said frame, the guide surface being eccentric with respect to said pivot;

a stop lever to engage the door to prevent the removal of the door from the arm and to be disengaged from the door to permit removal from the arm, the lever having a follower surface thereon;

means rotatable mounting said stop lever on said carrier arm; and

a spring connected between said arm and said lever tending to rotate the lever to cause engagement between said guide surface and said follower surface, the eccentricity of said guide surface causing the stop lever to be in a position engaging the door during a portion of said door rotation and to be disengaged from the door during another portion of said door rotation. v

S. In combination, a hinge structure and oven having a hollow body including a pair of side walls, a door providing access to the interior of the body, insulation on the side walls and a casing connected to the walls and dening at least in part the oven access opening;

means forming an aperture in said casing;

a frame;

means mounting the frame in an upright position on the back of said casing adjacent said insulation, the frame having a slot in registry with said aperture;

a 'rotatable carrier arm having means supporting said oven door;

a cam arm Xedly connected with said carrier arm and rotatable therewith;

pivot means connecting said arms and said frame, the pivot providing for the carrier arm to rotate the door in a vertical direction as between an oven-open and an oven-closed position, said slot and said aperture permitting movement of the cam arm therethrough 'when the arm is rotated, the cam arm moving toward said insulation during rotation and the arm being configured so that the amount of said movement is relatively small for purpose of providing a minimum void in the insulation to accommodate the movement.

`6. A hinge structure for a cook oven having a hollow body and a door providing access to the body, the hinge permitting the oven door to move in a vertical direction relative to the oven body as between an oven-open position and an oven-closed position, the weight of the door being counterbalanced during the movement, the structure comprising:

a frame and means for mounting the frame in a xed upright position on the body of the oven; a rotatable carrier arm having means for supporting an oven door for rotation therewith; a cam arm xedly connected with said carrier arm and rotatable therewith; a pivot bracket Connected to said frame; pivot means connecting the said arms and said pivot bracket, the pivot providing for the carrier arm to rotate a door mounted thereon in a vertical direction as between an oven-open and an oven-closed position, the lweight of the door tending to cause the door and arms to rotate about the pivot in one direction; means on said cam arm forming a cam surface; a compressron spring; means on said frame for supporting the spring for expansion and contraction on theframe and including a bracket slidably mounted on the frame and in contact with one end of the spring;

roller mounted on said bracket in engagement with said cam surface, the spring exerting a force on the cam surface in a direction tending to rotate said arms and said door about the pivot in a direction opposite to first said direction of rotation, said spring and said cam surface causing said force to be develped as a function of the angular position of the carrier arm with respect to said frame whereby the weight of the door mounted on the carrier arm is counterbalanced;

means forming a guide surface on said pivot bracket eccentric with respect to said pivot;

a stop lever to be engaged with the door to prevent removal of the same from the carrier arm and to be disengaged from the door to permit removal from the carrier arm, the lever having a follower surtace formed thereon;

means rotatably mounting said stop lever on said carrier arm;

a spring connected between said carrier arm and said l0 lever and tending to rotate the lever to cause engagement between said guide surface and said follower surface; and

a detent in said cam surface to accept said roller and hold the door in a position intermediate said open and closed positions;

said eccentric folower surface causing the stop lever to be in position for engaging the door in the open position whereby to prevent removal of the door from the arm and to be in position disengaged with the door when the same is rotated to said intermediate position to permit removal of the door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,802 10/1919 Roberts 126-194 1,511,841 10/1924 Rankin 126-191 2,835,244 5/1958 Rop 126-191 2,934,059 4/1960 Baker 126-194 3,003,495 10/ 1961 Coultrip 126-194 KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner 

